SUCKA FREE 6: Who didn't suck in the NBA last week

Kevin Durant of the OKC Thunder didn't suck
Last week: 35pts, 13 rebounds, 4.5assists, 2.5 steals
Durant had a career-high 46 pts, 15 rebounds and 2 steals against the LA Clippers last week. Durant went head to head with Eric Gordon who scored 41 for the Clips. Durant had 27 pts & 12 rebounds against the Golden State Warriors as well.

Paul Millsap of the Utah Jazz didn't suck
Last week: 21pts, 13rebounds and 2 assists
Paul Millsap continued to be a double double machine as he returned from injury. His last four games: 28/15, 20/12, 24/15 and 12/10.

Andrew Bynum of the LA Lakers didn't suck
Last week: 23 pts, 11 boards, 2 blocks
The Clippers just got killed with career high perfomances. First, Kevin Durant and then Andrew Bynum. Andrew Bynum had 42pts and 15 boards against the LA Clippers and also recieved the Western Conference Player of the Week. Lakers have won four in a row.

Brandon Roy of the Portland Trail Blazer didn't suck
Last week: 18pts, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 steals
Brandon Roy almost had a quadruple double, with 22 points, 7 assists, six rebounds and a whopping TEN STEALS against the Wizards. He tied a Blazers franchise record with the ten thefts.

The Boston Celtics didn't suck
Last week: Won 8 straight
The defending champs have gotten out of their funk and knocked off Phoenix, Miami, Orlando and Dallas with ease, beating each team by double figures.

Check out the piece on The Truth, Paul Pierce:

Photo credit: (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images)

Read more...

Paul P with Thirty Nine as the C's Defeat the Raps For the Fourth Time

Celtics, 115, Raptors 109 (OT)

Suprisingly, the Raps had the lead early on. Andrea Bargnani had 3 fouls in the second as the Raps were up 41-35. The Raps bench played an important factor in the first half with Roko Ukic, Jason Kapono and Joey Graham all hitting shots. The trio from the bench had a combined 20 points in the first half. The Raps shot 54% from the field and also outrebounded the C's in the first half. The Bosh/Bargnani combo also played well combining for 20 pts and 11 rebounds.


In the third, Brian Scalabrine hit back to back shots to knock the Raps lead down to four. But then the Raps managed to build their lead back up, Anthony Parker hit a late shot clock jumper and then Bargs hit a three to get up ten. Andrea has been a beast lately playing with so much confidence, I really don't know what they plan on doing when J.O. returns. In the late third quarter, Paul Pierce just took over getting the C's within two. The Raps led 74-70 afer three.

To start off the fourth, Gabe Pruitt hit an open three to get the C's a lead. Then Bosh had a sick dunk on Big Baby Davis. The Raps were a little cold, Roko tried to make plays but his shot wasn't falling. I've never seen anyone play such good defense on Bosh better than KG. He just gets right in his face every play. KG & Ray Allen hit back to back baskets to get up 4. The Raps were cold, only 2 for 14 in 9 minutes. Rajon Rondo had a nice layup, faking the pass and then driving to the hoop.

The last minute of the fourth was pretty exciting. First Will Solomon hit a three to get within 2. Paul Pierce nailed a jumper and then Bargs had the pump fake on KG and hit the j, to make the score 92-90 for the Celtics. Pierce went to the line for free throws and went 1/2 to put the Celtics to get up 93-90. The last play was chaos, Bosh tried to knock the rebound out and it got to parker, passed to Kapono and then Kapono dished it to Bargs for the three and then whoosh. Tie game with 1 second left.

The overtime period was all Paul Pierce and the Celtics as they went on to beat the Raps 115-109. Raps have the Bulls on Wednesday.



Key notes:

Andrea Bargnani scored 23 pts, 8 rebounds

Paul Pierce had 39 pts, 9 rebounds, 4 assists

Roko Ukic had 16 points off of the Raps bench





Photo credit: (Photo by Brian Babineau/NBAE via Getty Images)

Read more...

Celtics with Almost a 4th Quarter Collapse, but Ray Allen's Eight Triples Cripple the Raps

Celtics 94, Raps 88

Good effort. Going into the game, the Raps were the hot team and the Celtics not so hot. The Raps offense had been on fire, averaging 100 points/game in their last five. The Celtics on the other hand have been losers of four in a row. There were a few lineup changes today, Jose Calderon was back in the Raps starting five. For the C's, Kendrick Perkins was out and Brian Scalabrine started in his place.

Raps started off the first well, Jamario Moon hit a three to put the Raps up 12-6. And then.....Jesus came out on Sunday. Jesus Shuttlesworth AKA Ray Allen started to drop some treys on the Raps. The Celtics hit back to back threes to tie it back up at 12. Ray Allen went 5/5 in the first quarter from three point land. The Raps only shot 37%. 32-20 after 1.

The Celtics got up 42-24 on the Raps until Bargnani hit a three and then Anthony Parker hit another triple to get with 10. Things got a little physical as Joey Graham and Brian Scalabrine knocked heads. It was pretty cool, the ACC just erupted with a "JOEY, JOEY, JOEY" chant. As the crowd got excited, the Raps went on a run to get it down to 42-34. And then to top it off, Joey Graham dunked on Brian Scalabrine to get within six as the Raps went on a 10-0 run. But the Celtics went back on a run as Rajon Rondo had a ridiculous dunk on Will Solomon. Celtics were up 54-41 at halftime.

The third quarter was all Celtics as Ray Allen continued to hit threes. Boston outscored the Raps 21-14 in the 3rd, leading the Raps by 18, 73-55. In the fourth quarter, the Celtics went cold. They started off 0/7 until Ray Allen hit a shot to end the Raps 11-2 run. Joey Graham hit a basket to cut the Celtics lead down from 20 to 10 points. The Raps got hot in the fourth, going 6/8 and then Joey Graham had a block on Rajon Rondo that lead to a Chris Bosh dunk. The Raps continued to make a push when Andrea Bargnani hit a three with 1:30 left in the game to get within five. Kapono hit a late three to get it to 92-88 but the Celtics managed to maintain their lead. Final, C's won 94-88.

Key Notes:
Raps shot 28 for 74, 37% for the game
Ray Allen had 8 of the Celtics' 10 threes, he finished with 36 points
Rajon Rondo and KG both had double doubles
The Killer B's: Andrea Bargnani had 17 pts & 9 rebounds, Bosh had 15 pts & 11 boards

For a Celtics perspective, check out RedsArmy

The Raps are at Boston on Monday.


Photo credit: (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Read more...

TRULY OUT-RAJ-EOUS! Rondo with the facial on Will Solomon

Rajon Rondo with the nastiness on Will Solomon. Rondo had 14 points against the Raps today and here was two of them:

Read more...

The Crying Game - NBA's Best Crying Moments

Here are the NBA's top 5 crying moments:

Runner up: Charlotte Bobcat, Adam Morrison while at Gonzaga



The Top 5:

5. Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics



4. Former Raptor, Tracy McGrady



3. Former Raptor, Vince Carter



2. Sasha Vujacic, LA Lakers



1. Glen "BIG BABY" Davis (shoutouts to the thehoopdoctors.com for the clip)



Yes, Big Baby. The origin of his nickname?

“Ronald Glen Davis was born in Baton Rouge on Jan. 1, 1986 to Donald Robertson and Tonya Davis. He got the nickname big baby when he was playing in peewee leagues. Because he was bigger than the other kids his age, he was playing with older kids and would whine at times and they would call him a big baby and the name stuck.”

It's ok Big Baby, it's ok.

Honourable mention goes to this guy.

Read more...

Tenacious D from the C's

Honestly, this was a tough matchup from the get go. After a devastating loss to the New Jersey Nets, the Toronto Raptors wanted to come out tough against the world champs today. Raps fans had a sour taste from the last game, and were hungry for a win against the Celtics.

But things didn't work out this way, the game started out a bit ugly falling 10-0 in the first minutes of the first quarter. By the end KG and the C's ended up beating the Raps 118-103.

Defense wasn't great, the Raps allowed 118 pts and the Celtics shot 70+% from the field in the second half and 61% overall. Celtics had the points in the paint outscoring the Raps 48-22. All starters for the Celtics ended up with double figures with Ray Allen having some wide open looks and hitting 5 threes.

The game was not all bad, Jermaine O'Neal was starting for the Raps after a scare last game, but it was good to see him starting at centre. He was up to the challenge against the champs but unfortunately, he left in the second quarter. It's good to see him leave the game and give him time to rehab the knee; the last thing the Raps need is to lose his inside presence. From the recap, the injury looks to be day to day.

Overall, the loss was disappointing. The Raps didn't have that intensity they had against the Nets. Raps weren't down big throughout the whole game and made runs to pull it within 6....

BUT...

...it never got it closer than that and the Raps never had a lead. Bosh had a decent game: 24 pts, 6 boards but KG played tough defense on him.

In order for the Raps to prove that they can be a viable playoff contender, they need wins against these big teams not wins against Mickey Mouse teams like Miami and Milwaukee. Raps are off until Wednesday when they face Charlotte. Opponents that follow include the Atlanta Hawks and the LA Lakers. Check out the funny video on the LA Lakers' Sasha "The Machine" Vujacic.

Photo credit: (Photo by Ron Turenne/NBAE via Getty Images)

Read more...

NBA OPENING DAY!

Celtics tip-off against the Cavs.......Bucks at Chicago......and Greg Oden's season debut against Kobe and the Lakers.

Raps start tomorrow against the Sixers and their home debut is against Golden State Warriors on Halloween night.

Check out Chris Bosh at FLOW 93.5 in Toronto sporting an old school Toronto Blue Jays cap:

Check Chuck Swirsky's blog, for the Bulls in his new home of Chicago: CHUCK CHECKS IN.

Coming soon, look out for the first HOOPHEADSNORTH season predictions.

Read more...